PBN Around the Horn

PBN Around the Horn: Are the Pirates Trying to Build Something?

Published

2 years ago

April 8, 2022

Welcome to the PBN Around the Horn. Here you’ll find news and notes from across Major League Baseball, your Pittsburgh Pirates, and around the Sports Now network.

The highest-paid contract in team history; that is what the Pirates are reportedly going to do if third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes passes the physical. The contract is eight years, $70 million, with a team option for a ninth year. This contract surpassed Jason Kendall’s extension of $60 million back in 2000.

If the contract goes through and Hayes turns out to be fine from the injury that occurred on Thursday, it would mark 22 years it took for the Pirates to shell out more than $60 million to one player. I don’t know about you, but that is mind-boggling to see.

Does this all but point to the exit sign for Bryan Reynolds? Maybe, there are no guarantees, but it sure is starting to look that way. IF the Pirates decide to trade Reynolds, they will need to stand firm on the asking price; there is no need to rush this; Reynolds will be under team control for a while.

If the Pirates extended Reynolds, then there needs to be some sort of movement to build around the kids coming up along with Hayes and Reynolds. The Pirates will never shell out $300 million, but an A.J. Burnett or Francisco Liriano flavored move shouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.

At some point, the lottery ticket waiver moves need to end, and the special scratcher quarter needs to be put away, and this should apply with or without Reynolds in the picture. Time for action isn’t quite upon us, but those street lights are about to come on, and you know how your mom gets when you’re late.